War - Militias in Sudan: War on Womens Bodies!
Faisal Elbagir
All people of conscience are urged not to tolerate sexual violence.
First orbit:
"Mans awareness can save him alone... Womans awareness saves the world." - Naguib Mahfouz
1.
The twenty-fifth day of November has passed, the day the world celebrates the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. On this auspicious day, the country is still engulfed in blood, especially the blood of women, due to the disastrous "militia" war that continues between the Rapid Support Forces and the army. This wicked war erupted between the two parties on April 15, 2023, destroying the countrys resources. It particularly intensifies the suffering of Sudanese women and girls, using sexual violence as a weapon against them, turning womens bodies into battlegrounds for revenge.
2.
All documented facts and evidence indicate that the Rapid Support Forces have reserved the lions share of violence against women and attacks on their bodies as part of their war arsenal. The "brave" forces excel in operations of "kidnapping women and girls, imprisoning them in conditions resembling slavery, sexually exploiting them, forcibly marrying them, and holding them for ransom." This occurs in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces in Greater Khartoum, Darfur, and other regions outside Darfur. These serious sexual violations have been documented by reputable international institutions, credible international organizations, and national organizations that have witnessed violence against women and girls. In contrast, leaders of the Rapid Support Forces continue to deny, uttering empty phrases that neither add nor subtract, proving the Sudanese proverb: "The ugly is denied."
3.
We state this loudly without falling into the traps of exonerating other violators participating in the conflict from violence against women and girls. Elements affiliated with units from their militias are deeply involved in these violations, leaving no part untouched by the crimes of violence against women. There are documented testimonies from survivors of violence and sexual violence, clearly pointing to assaults committed by members of the armed forces and drug forces in the Triangle Capital, alongside militias affiliated with both conflict parties in Darfur. All these violations are confirmed and documented, constituting war crimes and crimes against humanity that will not be subject to the statute of limitations.
4.
The United Nations Human Rights Commission has expressed concern about documented reports and testimonies of sexual violence, reaffirming its concern about the fate of women and girls. Survivor testimonies confirm the horrors that women face in all areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces. The blanket denial issued by some advisors to the Rapid Support Forces does not suffice to cover up these deliberate violations. The endless rhetoric about investigative committees and "Janjaweed-style" field courts no longer holds weight. In such exceptional circumstances where there is no independent judiciary, effective prosecution, and an absolute absence of police forces protecting women from this violence and sexual violence, an independent international investigation is not only welcomed but strongly demanded.
5.
Indeed, women are victims of the "militia" war created by men, but women will remain fighters and activists in the fight to end the war and achieve peace. However, they will not fight alone, as we, the men who believe in gender justice and equality, will stand in solidarity with our mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, and female colleagues in the Sudanese human rights movement and the public sphere. Together, shoulder to shoulder, we will continue on the path we have chosen to achieve the noble slogans of the glorious December revolution: "Freedom, Peace, and Justice." We will engage in the 16-day campaign that began on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, until December 10, Human Rights Day, to realize the entire agenda for advocating womens issues. The crimes committed against women will not go unaccounted for, and the perpetrators will not enjoy impunity for crimes against gender and social gender.
6.
The twenty-fifth day of November will remain a cherished day for Sudanese women and all women who fate has placed in Sudan. Sudanese women inside Sudan, displaced, and refugee women will continue their struggle in the heart of defending womens rights, starting with their right to life, education, health, mental health, peace, tranquility, and security. Sudanese women will lead the march to complete the Sudanese revolution with the same enthusiasm witnessed and recognized globally in the struggles of Sudanese women, who have led from the front in the glorious December revolution.
7.
In summary, the "militia" war is undoubtedly a war on women and a losing war that is being waged on womens bodies. All people of conscience are urged not to tolerate sexual violence. We must continue to fight for justice and ensure that the perpetrators do not escape punishment for crimes against women.
Final bell:
"Women are the counterparts of men. Only the noble honor them, and only the ignoble dishonor them." - Prophet Muhammad
Faisal.elbagir@gmail.com
